Save the Arctic

There are some places on this Earth that are so important and fragile they should be protected at all costs. The Arctic is one of those places. It may seem far away but the health of the Arctic affects every person on this planet. It acts as the Earth’s heart, regulating our climate and circulating the ocean currents.

We have reached a defining moment in history. In 2012, the Arctic sea ice has fallen to the lowest level on record. In just 30 years, more than 75% of sea ice has disappeared.

Polar bears, walruses and narwhals are struggling to survive in a melting Arctic. Meanwhile oil companies like Shell are rushing in to extract previously inaccessible oil reserves, and coal companies are forging ahead to dramatically increase Australia’s coal production, putting the health of this pristine area at risk.

Without a government to protect it, the Arctic is vulnerable to exploitation. Greenpeace has a plan for people around the world to become guardians of the Arctic.

Together we will call on governments and the United Nations to turn the Arctic into a global sanctuary.

We have succeeded before. 30 years ago, Greenpeace led a movement to protect Antarctica. Today it remains a global sanctuary; a haven for scientific research and off-limits to exploitation.

Campaign news and updates

The latest updates

One day Arctic sea ice may be a thing of the past in summer. A distant memory of what used to be. And something our grandchildren will look at with awe in the natural history books. That day could be as soon as the middle of this century. That’s...

Tonight I’ll sleep well, knowing that there is finally something happening within the international community about protecting the Arctic. It’s not going to change things overnight, but it’s very positive, and something that our movement of over...

Sydney Harbour Bridge was barely visible through the smoke and amber coloured sky. Men covered in protective clothing sprayed water at the blazing bush. A row of four ducks swiftly waddled their way out of danger. That was the first time I had...

I trembled as I walked through the grounds of Murmansk prison on the 26th September. Inmates watched me and the arrival of the other notorious 29 new prisoners through their cell windows. It was pitch black outside, but the prison was alive.